Convertible spring seat and bed.



PATENTED DEG. 4, 1906.

E. W..SUMMERS. CONVERTIBLE SPRING SEAT A'ND BED."

APPLICATION TILED SEPT. 10,1908.

2 sums-sunn- 1.

iNVENTOR PATENTED DEC. 4, 1906.

E W. SUMMERS. CONVERTIBLE SPRING SEAT AND BED.

APPLICATION FILED 10, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTOR- EDGAR WEBSTER SUMMERS, or WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONVERTIBLE SPRING SEAT AND BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 4. 1906.

Application filed September 10, 1906. Serial No. 333,968.

To all whom it may concern:

Be 'it known that I, EDGAR WEBSTER SUM- MERS, of Wilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Convertible Spring Seats and Beds, of which improvement the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this specification, in which' Figure 1 is a vertical's'ection taken in line 1 1 in Fig. 2, the fabric and padding portion of the seat removed. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the seat, showing the spring-supports and underframing only. Fig. tion taken in line 3 3 in Fig. 2, showing the springs partially compressed, as when used for a seat in a sleeping-car. Fig. 4 is 'a vertical section taken in the same line as Fig. 3, but with the support for apart of the springs removed, as whenused for a bed in a sleepingcar. Fig. 5 is an. enlarged sectional view through one pair of springs, showing an outer spiral spring and an inner spiral spring with metallic cap andbase lates. Fig. 6 is a top view of Fig. 5 with t e cap-plate removed. Fig. 7 is the same as Fig. 5, except havim the outer spring partially compressed and showing how one spring may be compressed independently of the other.

My invention relates to seats used-in sleeping-cars, clining chairs, &c.', the improveinent being mainly in the arran ement of the springs an spring-supports, w have their bottom support removed and become inactive when used as a bed, all of the springs being supported underneath and available when arranged for use as a seat.

In a reclining position apersonsweight is distributed over a comparatively large-area. Springs having the or ease that class of springproper resiliency with a person 111 "this. position do not offer sufficient resistance to prevent collapsing when the. ersons body is in a sitting position and t e weight imposed on a comparatively small area.

My invention wa the person when eit ting position.

In the drawings spring 1, the inner spiral s mon metallic cap-plate 3, te fined base-plate 4, which supports the outer spring, the floating base-plate 5, which with the-inner spring is suspended from the common cap-plate 3 devised to give ease to er in a reclining or sit-- I show the outer spiral ring 2. then com- 3 is a vertical sec bed-lounges, re-

ereby certain SPIHLgS by means of the common rivet 6, andwasher 7, which joins the inner and outer springs to the cap-plate through the common center of the springs 1 and 2, as shown in Fig. 6. I

I show the base-plate 4 in Figs. 1: and 2, the wooden end piece 8 of the underframing, and rear piece 9,attached thereto with screws;

The front channel-beam 10 is shown in Figs. 2, 3,.and 4. This channel extending along the front of the seat-base is attached at its ends to the wooden end pieces "8 and along its upper edge to the front edge of baseplate 4 by means of rivets 11. Under the front edge of base-plate 4 and above the lower flange of channel 10 I show awooden nailing-strip. Base-plate 4 has perforations 12 at each position of a spring 1. and the metal at the outer edge of said perforation is beaded ,or rolled outwardly over the lowerthereby locking Between the rows coil ofthe said spring 1, each spring 1 in position.

of springs and e ending from front to rear of base-plate 4 are pressed ribs 13,,which serve to stiffen the thin metallic baselate and transmit the spring load to the out and rear rails of the seat-frame. The baseplate 5 has perforations 14, which perforations 14 are located at each position of an inner spring 2, and the metal at the outer edge of said perforations 14 is beaded or rolled outwardly over the lower coil of the said springs 2, thereby locking each spring 2 in its position.

It will be noted in Fig. 1 that base-plate 5 does not extend to the wooden end pieces 8 and in Figs. 3 and 4 that it does nbt extend to the front and rear beams 9 and10,'b ut is suspended from the springs 2 and has pressed ribs 15, which register with ribs 13 in baseplate 4. In Figs. 3 and 4 I show a portion of the ordinary sleeping-car framing as the wooden partition 16 with its upper and lower portions broken away. This partition is that portion of the car-framing which is between theberths of'the ordinary sleepingcar or between the backs of the seats when made up as a day-coach. F also show a portion of the frame 17, which serves as a suport fo the spring-seats when used as a seat in Fig. 3 -and-when' used as abed with the spring-seat drawn out in Fig. 4. I show cross-bars 18, which are fixed on supports 17 and serve to hold up base-plate 6 when use as a seat. hen the seat is drawn out, as in Fig. 4, the base-plate '5 has no under support and is carried by means of the attachment of IIO 7 when ln-useasabedz I the ordinary upholstering materials 19,

- general construction wit front my invention.

springs partially compressedtwithi the inner.

ones full extended, the outer springs carrying all of the load in F'gA, while in Fig.3 both the inner-and'outer springs ofier resistance to the load. It-will be noticed that only the outer springs are required at the rear of the seatandialong-eaoh end. Fig. 5*both springs are-showneinextendedi the outer spring is s InFigs; 3 and: tL'show.

Whieh ane immaterial to the purposes oi this invention; a

For'oonvenienoel have shown. the inventionasapplied'to asleeping-canseat and bed; The portion; of: the; spring-back the oarseat which! is usually lowered: and: usedsas a past of; the bedr may havelightrweight springs tie/correspond withthe outer springs 1*, malting' aQuniform; support furthe body when. the seats are made up as a bed. The principle will be the same when applied? toa bed-- lounge, reolining ehaiig &o-.

Many changes may be made-in: the form ring supports,

and arrangement ofisprings, s

out departing 'I; ela,1mrv 11 A springseat, having a plurality of springs and lneanswhereby a part of thesaid springs may be rendered inoperative 1nde pendently of the load; for the purpose set ortln v v 2. A spring-seat, havinga plurality of slstlng'power may be increased or-diminished independently of the load; for the purpose set forth; 7

A spring-seat, having a plural ty of me- .taliicsprings and means whereby the springouter springspars ished; independently a pair of'spiral'springs,

ositlon, and'inliig; 7; own compressed; as-

power may be increased ordiminof the load for the purresisting pose set forth.

. 4.- The combination with a s ring-seat, of one. wit 'n the other, the outer spring having a fixed bottom support, the inner one having a releasable support.

5 A spring-seat of a box-likeform having a plurality 0t spiral fixed" bottom, in the seat, and a, plurality'of spiral springs having a releasable bottom suppontjfor the-purpose set forth.

springs supported on a in 6. A spring-seat of a boxdikefornnhavin'g aisenies of spinalaspmngslnested'in pairsof two each, one within the other, the tops of the springs being attached; to the ordinary Ine tallio springroap, the bottom ot the inner springs being attached to a floating metallic spring-base, and the: bottomof the outer springshavringattachment to a; fixed metallic spring base';'fon'the-purposeset forth.

' 7-. The-combination: witha spring-seat, of

a thin metallic base-plate fen supporting the springs, the said metallic base-plate having strengthening ribs between the springs, and;

perforations within the spring-base through whioh auxiliary springs may project.

8. The combination witha spring-seat, havin in a s eeping-oar, which are in position for supporting the bottoms of both sets of springs when the said spring-seat is in position for use as a seat, and which fixed: members furnish bottom support for one set of .fsprings only When the said 1 position to be used as. a bed=.' spr ngs and meanswhereby the spring-retWosets of springs, of fixed member's spring-seat is in In testimony whereof- I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR WEBSTER: SUMMERS. WTitnesses:

CHARLES; BARNET R. N. LOWRY. 

